soft, melty goat cheese baked inside a crunchy pistachio crust then served with a fire roasted tomato and pepper sauce. a perfect appetizer for sharing!
1/4cupcoarsely chopped fire roasted red peppersI use the jar from Trader Joe's
1/4cupfire roasted tomatoes
1clovegarlicroughly chopped
1tablespoonpistachio / panko mix
1Tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
salt + pepper
Instructions
for goat cheese bites ::
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
Pulse the pistachios in a small food processor until finely ground. Transfer the ground pistachios to a large bowl, then add the panko bread crumbs, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. oregano, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Use a fork to mix everything together, and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg with the remaining 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. oregano, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Set near the pistachio mixture.
Cut the goat cheese into 1/2 ounce pieces. Roll each portion into a ball. Working one at a time, coat each ball in the egg mixture, then the pistachio mixture. Gently press the pistachio mixture into the goat cheese, so each ball is completely and evenly coated.
Place the pistachio-encrusted goat cheese balls onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze for 30 minutes.
for fire roasted sauce ::
While the goat cheese balls are freezing, make the sauce. Using the same small food processor, blend the fire roasted red peppers, fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, pistachio mixture, olive oil, and another pinch of salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Heat a small sauce pan over medium, and add the sauce to it. Stir, bring to a light simmer, then turn the heat down to low. Keep the sauce warm as the goat cheese balls freeze and bake, about 15 total minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Spray the frozen goat cheese balls with baking spray. Bake for about 6-8 minutes
Serve goat cheese balls on a platter, with optional toothpicks or decorative sticks for easy handling. Spoon the warm sauce into a bowl, and serve alongside the goat cheese balls and grilled slices of baguette (optional).